Doha: Qatar Airways has partnered with Madrid Destino, the tourism board of Madrid in Spain, in a strategic move to support tourism growth to the pulsating city.
The partnership is to promote the destination to key markets across the globe through a series of joint initiatives, and will run until March 31, 2022. Currently, the state-owned flag carrier operates 14 weekly flights to Madrid.
Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, H E Akbar Al Baker, said: “We invite everyone to experience Madrid’s lively city that makes one passionate about travelling again. The Spanish city is famous for its rich and varied heritage, as well as its world-class crafts and artisans.”
Madrid City Council, Director of Tourism, Héctor Coronel, meanwhile said: “The signing of this agreement not only marks a milestone in our relations with Qatar Airways, which has been operating in Madrid since 2005, it also enables us to strengthen our tourism relations with the Middle East, one of our main strategic markets. The connectivity campaign that Madrid City Council’s Tourism Department and the Qatari airline are running in Qatar and the UAE is aimed at a segment that has a significant economic impact on Madrid. This joint initiative will enable us to promote the city’s outstanding tourist resources and new openings with a view to encouraging visitors with high purchasing power to travel to the city of Madrid.”
The Spanish capital has emerged as a new international luxury destination following it being designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site and having recently opened an array of luxury hotel brands, undertaking remodelling works for sites including the Plaza de España as well as several other key developments. It was also recognised as Europe’s Best Convention and Trade destination, garnering the Best MICE Destination for 2021 as part of the internationally acclaimed World Travel Awards.
Qatar Airways recently launched its new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner passenger aircraft, featuring its eagerly awaited new Business Class Suite on a number of key routes to Europe including Madrid. The ultramodern aircraft has a total passenger capacity of 311 seats — 30 Business Class Suites and 281 seats in Economy Class.
The Boeing 787-9 is the latest member of the Boeing aircraft in Qatar Airways’ fleet. As the Middle East launch customer for the Boeing 787, the airline has continued to fly its fleet of 30 787-8s throughout the COVID-19 pandemic due to its strong fuel efficiency and excellent reliability record. Its investment in the 787-9 once again underscores the airline’s commitment to sustainability and achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
